Our Christian Perspective
Are You A Cry-Baby Christian?
By Brother James
There is a well-known adage that clearly states, “If you pray do not worry and if you worry do not pray.” Scripture is replete with messages that comfort us and guides us to not worry. Worry is always accompanied by a lack of faith and a lack of faith is always followed by self-loathing, fear of the future and chronic complaining. There are many scriptures about how not to worry. For example, Jesus’s message to His Disciples in Matthew 6:25-27 was, “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (NIV)”. In Philippians 4:6-7, the Apostle Paul reassures the church at Philippi and provides us with a distinctly profound anti-worry message for today when he wrote, “6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)”Many of the New Testament Apostolic inspired scriptures were written without our being a consideration of the authors. The Apostles had no great future thoughts beyond the era in which they lived. Extra-Biblical sources such as biographies and commentaries of personages of the first century AD church, suggest that the concept of the return of Jesus by His followers was imminent. Biblical historians even suggest that the Apostle Paul was suicidal (See Philippians 1:22-26) because he often spoke of going to heaven ... soon. Paul often suggested death on earth followed by life in heaven was a great reward. The often misquoted scripture, “absent in the body, present with the Lord” when read in its entirety from the KJV reads, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul obviously was not worried about his life and clearly said he was confident, ready, and willing to be united with the Lord, rather than enduring life on earth! One may assume Paul saw the return of Jesus to take the chosen with Him to heaven, as an event that would occur in his foreseeable lifetime.
Can you imagine the authors of the synoptic gospels or the Apostles Peter, James and Paul reflecting on the future inventions of the automobile, airplane or the internet? No, they reflected on the issues of their day that included Roman oppression, persecution by the Pharisees and Sadducees and maintaining a sustenance existence as they struggled to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, the messages in the gospels and the epistles to the people of their day reign true for us today. The dynamic message mandated via these writings indicates we need not worry about the trials and tribulations we encounter in life. But, I respectfully suggest to you that many professed Christians worry to an inordinate level, and in my mind are “Cry Baby Christians!”
Are you a “Cry Baby” Christian? Do you find yourself giving the Lord nominal praise while simultaneously complaining about your health, bills, relationships, etc.? Do you spend an appropriate amount of time daily in prayer asking for the Lord’s guidance and blessings, or do you rant that nothing you want in life is ever given to you? Do you sense family and friends purposefully avoid you as they thank God for caller-id? Do you feel the Lord is neglecting you while you rarely pray for a resolution to that which is spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and financially depressing and ailing you? Do you awaken each day, look into a mirror and feel dread about what may happen in the rest of your day saying, “Good God, its morning” instead of saying, “Good morning God”? Well, if you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are, you are a “Cry Baby” Christian!
The Urban Dictionary defines a cry baby as, “someone who will cry over the smallest thing out of self-pity.” The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a cry baby as, “one who cries or complains easily or often.” Even further, Dictionary.com suggests that a cry baby is, “a person who complains too much, often in a whining manner.” Let us look at the key and operative words in the aforementioned definitions.
Are you consumed with “self-pity?” People who suffer from self-pity assume they are always being mistreated and therefore are denied opportunities readily given to others. Are you a believer but frequently find yourself “complains easily or often?” Do you consult the Word of God instead of trying to fix situations that are not within your control? Are you a person who complains too much, usually in a whining manner?” Jesus and the Apostles had every reason to be consumed with self-pity, a right to complain easily and often, and certainly they could have given up on their God given mission to preach the gospel as they were well within their right to “complain too much, in a whining manner.” However, instead of crying about their circumstances they kept overcoming all the obstacles the adversary, Satan, placed before them. These great and ordained men were never heard “crying” or complaining. Jesus and His devoted followers were not “Cry Baby” Christians!
One of the most abused and inaccurately used words by Christians today is, “persecuted!” Cry Baby Christians can be heard saying, “I am being persecuted because of my beliefs!” Truthfully, history clearly informs us that a person is not persecuted for their beliefs; rather, it is the demonstrated practice of their beliefs that leads to persecution. I have often said, “You can legislate how a person acts, but you cannot legislate how they think!” I could believe that I should have as many wives as King Solomon but as long as I do not marry multiple women and stay within the proscribed boundaries of the law (one man, one wife); I cannot be prosecuted or persecuted for being a bigamist. I might think about having multiple wives, but if I were to put my thoughts and beliefs into practice, I would have a problem leading to my persecution! Again, people are not persecuted for the beliefs; rather, they are persecuted for the demonstrated actions and practices of their beliefs. I respectfully suggest to you that if you actively demonstrated your faith in God by not worrying and refrain from constantly complaining about what you perceive to be adverse issues of your life, you will be persecuted. But, as long as your speech and negative actions betray your faith in God, you will never be persecuted because as it is often said, ‘misery loves company’.
So, I ask, do you live a life free of complaint, whining, and self-pity? Do you always seek the Lord’s counsel when faced with trials and tribulations? Or, do you incessantly whine and moan? If the answer to my last question is yes, then you are a “Cry Baby”’ Christian.
If you are a “Cry Baby” Christian, what are you going to do to get right with God?
Unpublished Materials
© ECO 2016 Brother James